Reader’s Annotation: Regina Afton has always done what her best friend Anna has told her to do, but when rumors go around about Regina and Anna’s boyfriend, Regina learns what it’s like to be on the other side of Anna’s favor.

Plot Summary:

Regina Afton goes to a huge party with her friends, including her best friend Anna and Anna’s boyfriend Donnie. While at the party, Anna passes out and Donnie tries to rape Regina. Regina confides in Kara, another girl in her group the Fearsome Fivesome. Kara tells Anna that Regina and Donnie got together. Anna decides to make Regina’s life hell. They begin by bullying, and gradually escalate to basically torturing Regina. Meanwhile Regina begins to become with friends with Michael, someone who she used to bully herself. Regina begins to see how things used to be, and see the benefit of cutting her old friends out of her life.

Critical Evaluation:

Courtney Summers does a beautiful job of bringing to light issues that occur in many high schools. The bullying was realistic that any teen that reads this novel will be able to relate to seeing this happen, making this happen or having it happen to them. Regina is a realistic character, and Summers does a great job of not making her the stereotypical YA main character. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book because it made me think at a deeper level and it will make teens do so as well.

Author Bio/Information:

“Courtney Summers was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada in 1986 and currently resides in a small town not far from there. When she was around 10 years old, her local theatre’s production of Man of La Mancha (directed by her father) sparked a dream of telling stories that would move people the same way that musical had moved her. At age 14, and with her parents’ blessing, Courtney dropped out of high school to pursue her education independently. During this time, she explored various creative mediums in search of the one that would best suit her desire to be a storyteller. At age 18, she wrote her first novel and never looked back. Her first book, Cracked Up to Be, was published in 2008, when she was 22. To date, she has authored five novels and is best known for her unapologetic, difficult female protagonists” (“Courtney Summers”, n.d.).

Ties to Curriculum Units: Relationships, Friendships

Booktalking Ideas:

Have you ever experienced bullying of any kind?

Since Regina realized the potential of not having those friends in her life, did she show that she was better than Anna and the rest of the group?

Challenging Issues:

This book has already faced various challenging issues from parents at high schools which have included it on their summer reading lists. Many of the issues include language, the scene in which Donnie attempts to rape Regina, and various scenes of teen drinking. I would explain to those questioning the book that these scenes are relevant to the story line. I would also explain the importance of these scenes to real teens, and how they can benefit those who have been bullied themselves.